WNYT.com

Steelers looking for depth, not impact players

(AP) PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t think they’ll find an impact player with the 17th pick in this week’s draft.

That’s fine by general manager Kevin Colbert, who believes it takes any player at least one season to figure out how to play for one of the NFL’s marquee franchises.

There are plenty of holes to fill in Pittsburgh, which lost a handful of starters to free agency or salary cap cuts following a disappointing 8-8 season. The departures include wide receiver Mike Wallace and outside linebacker James Harrison.

Addressing those losses with one of the team’s eight draft picks is a priority, with Georgia’s Jarvis Jones and Tennessee’s Cordarrelle Patterson among those who could be available when Pittsburgh makes its selection in the middle of the first round Thursday night.